Zero Hour
by Twin Masks
Summary: On the twelfth hour of the first day of October 1989, 43 women around the world gave birth. This was unusual only in the fact that none of these women had been pregnant when the day first began. Sir Reginald Hargreeves, eccentric billionaire and adventurer, resolved to locate and adopt as many of these children as possible. He ended up with eight of them. {Full Summary Inside}
1. It's Over

**Full Summary:** On the twelfth hour of the first day of October 1989, 43 women around the world gave birth. This was unusual only in the fact that none of these women had been pregnant when the day first began. Sir Reginald Hargreeves, eccentric billionaire and adventurer, resolved to locate and adopt as many of these children as possible.

He ended up with eight of them.

Juno Hargreeves' siblings are extraordinary. She was extraordinary too. Emphasis on the 'was'.

Left permanently disabled in the incident that killed Ben, Juno Hargreeves has spent the last decade feeling less than ordinary thanks to her father. Overwhelmed by guilt over Ben's death, no longer able to live up to her father's expectations and her brothers and sisters having left her behind, Juno is trapped. But her father's dead and it turns out the apocalypse is in eight days.

Doesn't that sound fun!

* * *

She'd been staring at the condensation on the window when Diego came back to the car.

"Here ya go squirt." He said as he handed her a jelly doughnut

"Tha-tha—." A frown etched itself on his baby sister's face as the half words passed her lips.

Diego, the excellent big brother that he was, didn't react to the mistake. He took a bite of his doughnut and waited.

The frown got deeper on her face as she thought, and then voiced her next words careful. "...I mean thank you."

"No problem squirt," Diego managed to ruffle her hair a few times before she swatted him away. "You'll get the next one right?"

Diego never let Juno pay, but that didn't mean he wouldn't joke about it.

She laughed. "I'm sure mom makes better doughnuts anyway, they're free so that's what you're getting."

"Cheap ass." He shot back, though there was no heat behind

Juno licked the powdered sugar off of her fingers. "So how much for winning the fight?"

"Not much this time," He shrugged before continuing. "I owe Al some money so he takes it out of my winnings. Maybe you should getting in the ring though, that way you got a little something to pay me back with."

Juno nodded. "Good idea. I'll definitely make more than you really quick, be able to buy all the doughnuts. Maybe buy you a fancy new sex suit while I'm at it.

"We've been over this!" Diego objected. "It is not a _sex_ suit, it's tactical leather armor."

Juno couldn't keep the shiteating grin off face as she eyed her brother. "Whatever you say Diego! You wear that thing everywhere, it's a miracle you're not wearing it right now"

"I do not wear it _everywhere_" He grumbled, finishing off his doughnut.

Juno couldn't resist. "Real talk though, do you like uh...bathe in it too or is that where you...draw the line? I just want to make sure you know that I'll accept you no matter how freaky you are on the inside is all. You can tell me. "

Diego made a show of looking utterly offended. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"

Now it was Juno's turn to look offended "We're the same age. I don't need bedtime"

"Not from where I'm standing squirt"

The raven haired girl licked the jelly out of her doughnut before asking. "Why do you call me that exactly? I'm not even the shortest in the house." That was Vanya.

In all honesty it really was getting close to her curfew and mom worried when Juno was out late. Diego fiddled with his keys before turning the ignition.

"You don't choose the nickname, the nickname chooses you, besides I'll always be bigger than you so it fits. Check and see if there's anyone behind us would ya squirt."

Juno's face scrunched up in suspicion next to him. "Why…?"

"Uh, because I asked you to?" Diego said it in such a perfectly confused tone that Juno almost believed it was innocent request, almost.

"Why can't you do it? You've got ea—eyes"

"Because your eyes are better than mine and there are barely any street lights on. Come on JJ."

A perfectly reasonable statement. But could she really fall for it? She wasn't sure.

"I buy you doughnuts and you can't do this _one _thing for me? Do you really want me to just run somebody over while backing out?

Juno shot him an '_are you serious_?' look before sighing dramatically and turning around. It was in this moment of weakness that The Kraken struck, leaning his head over and chomping his sister's last piece of doughnut out of her unsuspecting hands.

"NO!"

Diego, the excellent brother that he was, chuckled with the smuggest of looks on his face as he chewed.

"I hope you know I licked that, you asshole!"

* * *

"So did you have fun?" They were parked outside the house and despite adamant denial on her part Juno was tired. She hadn't even done anything today. It was ridiculous.

"It's always fun to be invited to watch you beat the snot out of a guy. I'll be sure to thank mom for making you drag me out of the house." Juno proclaimed, yawning as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

"She wouldn't have to call me if you stopped being such a hermit you know."

Juno sensed a lecture coming on. She hated this part.

"I'm perfectly okay being a hermit thank you. I hate people."

_That was a lie. You're lonely.'_

"No one likes to sit at home for months on end Juno, especially not you" Diego didn't mean for that phrase to come out as hard as it did, but it had.

Just like that the air in the car got awkward. Diego had uttered a loaded statement and they both knew it. He called her Juno too. He never did that unless he was upset. All of her brothers worked that way, it was always 'Jay', 'JJ' or some other variation with them. Squirt was Diego's nickname though. Her sisters were the only ones that really called her Juno.

She settled on tugging on her jacket sleeve while Diego looked away and stood a little straighter in his seat and adjusted his grip on the steering wheel.

It looked like he was about to say something important.

She waited.

"Do you uh, need help getting inside?"

'_Guess not'_

"I'm not that tired. I can handle it." Juno stepped out of the car. "Make sure you shower. I didn't wanna say anything but you smell grody man."

"The smell of champions baby!"

And just like that they were back to normal.

Diego waited until she was inside to drive off. Once in the academy Juno was met with mother's impeccable smiling face.

"Hello sweetheart. Did you have a good time with your brother?" She asked pleasantly, as cheerful as always. Her mother always had a way of making Juno smile.

"Hi mom." Juno kissed her on the cheek in greeting. "I had fun. Diego won, we got doughnuts after."

"Oh how wonderful!" Her mother exclaimed. "Make sure you brush your teeth dear, we don't want you getting cavities from all that sugar now do we."

Juno didn't get cavities, her teeth had always been perfect. Technically she didn't even need to brush.

"No worries mom, I won't forget." The 'youngest' Hargreeves took in the oppressive silence of the much too big academy.

She wished her father would consider downsizing. The house had been so empty for so long and it's size made it impossible to forget that she was alone in here. The house used to be full of noise. It wasn't always happy noise. But these days she'd settle for the sound of arguing, or even tears when faced with the oppressive _nothing_.

She really wished Diego hadn't left so quickly.

There were moments like these, where her house seemed much too big and her reasons for getting up in the morning seemed much too small, that she missed many siblings. She missed Luther's big head, missed Diego and his need to run after Luther, Allison and her need to be the center of attention, Klaus his...Klaus, Five and his enormous ego, _Ben..._

Her mother's concerned voice shook her out of her thoughts. "Is something wrong dear? Are feeling alright?"

"I'm okay mom, I'm just tired." She yawned, as if on cue.

The yawn brought tears to her eyes. Definitely the yawn.

Juno rubbed her eyes. "I'm gonna head to sleep." She gave her mother a firm hug. "Thanks for calling Diego by way."

Her mother returned her hug wholeheartedly, the way she always did. "Of course dear. Though I'm sure your brother would love to hear from you yourself. Maybe you could try giving him a call sometime?

Grace Hargreeves loved all her children, this was an indisputable fact. Even when not all of those children felt that they deserved it. Grace Hargreeves wanted what was best for her children, even when those children didn't seem to want what was best for themselves.

Her mother was always gentle with her prodding. She appreciated that about her.

Juno nods "Yeah, definitely." _Liar_

Juno hadn't held a proper conversation with someone over the phone in years. She'd tried calling Allison a few weeks back, around the time her divorce had been finalized and the media had let the world know that Allison had lost custody. Juno had felt terrible. She wanted to call and offer her support, to be there in her sister's hour of need, like how things used to be. She'd gathered up her courage, made sure to practice what she wanted to say and picked up the phone. The line rang several times and Juno was just about to hang up when an exasperated voice answered:

"_Allison Hargreeves' phone, this is her assistant speaking." _The unfamiliar voice had thrown a wrench in Juno's plan and she quickly found that she'd forgotten her words. It made perfect sense Allison would have someone screen her calls, especially after this media storm. She should've expected this. Juno answered.

"_Uh...I...I.." 'What was she trying to say?!'_

"_If you're calling for a comment on the results of the custody battle, Ms. Hargreeves has nothing to say to the media at this time."_

_No that wasn't why she'd called. "No I...phone. Allison, sorry. I—paper. Talk!" _

"_If you're asking to interview Ms. Hargreeves, as I said before we aren't speaking to the media at this time."_

_No, that hadn't been what she was asking. "No I'm not…' _By this time Juno was beginning to go red in the face, and her embarrassment was shoving her thought process even further off track. "_Not right. I need Three, house you're—I mean!—"_ Juno gave an aggravated huff, and though it honestly wasn't directed at her, Allison's assistant didn't like being growled at.

"_I don't know who you think you are but I'll have you know we could have you charged with harassment for not respecting Ms. Hargreeves' privacy!"_

_Juno was starting to feel desperate so she tried one more time. "I. Need. Allison." She spoke slowly and forcefully for her own benefit, to make her mouth get the right words out. But unfortunately for Juno, her voice had succeed in taking on a gruff tone. "Give—Allison. The. Phone plea—Please!" _

_She exhaled in defeat. That wasn't what she'd wanted to say it._

"_I'm hanging up now. If you try and harass Ms. Hargreeves again we'll be handing over your information to the police."_

_Juno slammed the phone back into the receiver, before deciding to slam her head into the wall in a couple of times for good measure._

_It was at this time that Pogo came dashing into hallway. Clearly he'd come running at the sound of her slamming into the wall because he was slightly out of breath._

"_Miss Juno what on earth are you doing!" He exclaimed in concern._

_Juno wanted to tell Pogo she was fine, but she wanted to leave the whole situation a lot more. So that was exactly what she did. She stormed past Pogo and stayed in her room for the remainder of the day to wallow in her feelings. Mom came by with food and asked Juno what'd happened. _

_She wouldn't say._

The next day after the phone call disaster her father called her into his study. Pogo had told him what'd happened and he was very disappointed in her.

He was always disappointed in her.

"_Honestly Number Zero, these tantrums you choose to throw are simply inexcusable! _

Juno didn't plan on touching a phone anytime soon after that. She certainly didn't wanna risk anybody but Diego answering the phone, but more to the point, she didn't wanna bother Diego. She didn't wanna bother anyone really.

Her mother kissed her on the cheek. "Sweet dreams dear."

* * *

The next morning Juno Hargreeves would learn of her father's passing and she would cry.

Not for the father she'd lost.

Instead she mourned the fact that she'd never be able to prove to that father that she was still Extraordinary.

* * *

**Autho's Note:**

Any mistakes in Juno's dialogue are intentional.

Anything else is my fault.


	2. The Man in The Moon

A lot can change in four years. Luther knew this, and so, the one thing he was grateful for was how utterly untouched his home seemed to be. Looking at it now it appeared as if nothing had changed at all since the day he'd been sent to watch over the moon. A whole twenty-four hours ago his entire world had been turned upside-down by the news of his father's death, Luther didn't think he could've handled coming back to a home he didn't recognize. If he really tried he could almost pretend that those four years hadn't passed at all and his father was still alive.

_But his father wasn't alive. _

Luther's father was dead and he hadn't been there in his final moments. Luther's father had been _murdered _(of that Luther was sure) and he hadn't been there to protect him. Number One had failed...

But Luther was here now, and he'd be damned if he let who ever had killed his father get away with it. He'd do what he was born to do and catch the bad guy. He'd make dad proud.

He had no time to waste.

Unfortunately for Luther however, the universe appeared to be conspiring against him because he was getting nowhere. He wasn't sure if it was just his memory playing tricks on him, but for some reason his mother seemed _slower _than usual. He'd ask her a question and she'd stare off into space with this thousand yard stare before finally giving a generic answer and telling him he needed to eat more.

Pogo didn't seem to know much. When Luther had asked he'd said that the hours leading up to his father's death had been perfectly normal. Reginald Hargreeves had woken up at the exact same time that morning like always—6:00AM on the dot— and eaten his breakfast at precisely 7 o'clock. He'd taken lunch in his study at noon, where he worked until he came down to have dinner. They'd listened to Sir Captain Simon Francis Barton's recounting of how he'd survived 28 days lost at sea while they ate. Afterwards he'd retired to his room where he stayed for the rest of the night. Pogo found him the next morning.

On the surface his father's last day had been completely unremarkable and his death equally so, but Luther didn't buy it. It was all too convenient. He was sure there was something he was missing, he just needed to look harder.

And it was this drive for the truth that lead Luther to begin surveying the perimeter of the Academy. He knew that some nameless faceless assassin wouldn't just be hanging around for him to find, so what he was looking for exactly he couldn't say. Anything that made him feel like he was on the right track he supposed. And if nothing else it was good to secure the grounds, if someone killed his father, moving on to hit the members of the academy wouldn't be too far out of the question. It was his job as Number One to keep the family safe, especially now that dad was gone.

_He refused to fail again…._

"Hey Luther."

The sudden voice behind him made the man in question jump in surprise, knocking his head against the tree he'd been crouched under.

"Oww!"

He clutched his head, more out of reflex than out of pain and turned around.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

Luther was met with his sister's amused face, not looking at all sorry and looking exactly as she had four years ago; looking exactly as she had for the past twenty years or so really. "You didn't scare me I was just surprised; I'm fine."

Luther straightened up and quickly brushed some of the grass and leaves from his pants. Feeling awkward he asked, "So did you need something or…?"

She gestured to the plate of sandwiches Luther had just now noticed in her hands. "Mom said you didn't eat much so she sent me."

Luther's mother had of course tried to feed him something once he'd touched down. He'd been looking forward to finally eating real food after so long with nothing but grey space goo and had quickly shoveled forkfuls of his mom's blueberry pancakes without a second thought. Luther hadn't wanted to admit that after years of eating nothing but nutrition paste that normal food now tasted much too rich on his tongue. So of course he'd lied and told mom that it'd tasted great. He'd had the strength to not immediately spit out what he'd just eaten and moved around the rest of his pancakes for bit before excusing himself.

"Oh. Thanks but I'm not hungry."

She pushed the plate towards him. "It's turkey."

Luther knew that his palate wouldn't stand for it but he also knew that rejecting the sandwich after eating less than half a pancake would raise some red flags, so he chose the lesser of two evils.

He took a sandwich, bit off a piece and swallowed it without chewing. Clearing his throat he thanked his sister before swallowing another large chunk to get through the thing faster.

"You like turkey right?" She asked.

"It was my favorite, why?" Luther wasn't too sure why Juno was asking this question, but his sister lost the ability to do small talk properly ages ago.

"No reason, your face just looks a little like you're chowing down on a shit-sandwitch is all." She responded matter a factly. Luther had also used the word '_was' _instead of '_is' _but Juno didn't point that out.

Luther certainly hadn't been expecting that response. The only thing he could think to sputter out was, "It-it does not!

"Does _too_!"

"Does _not_!"

"Does _too_!" Juno insisted, with a poorly concealed smile on her face that clearly said she was enjoying herself.

Luther shot back again before he had a chance to realize just how childish the whole exchange must sound, "Does _not_!"

"Does too. Who here can actually see your face me or you?" She gestured between them as she spoke. Juno had always tended to talk with her hands. "Me. And I'm telling you Luther you've got shit-sandwich all over your face!"

There was a pause before Juno's choice of words seem to hit the both of them and they couldn't help but laugh. This was exactly what the younger Hargreeves had been hoping for. Her brother seemed so stiff sometimes she was afraid he'd forgotten how to laugh properly.

"It's good to see you again Luther." Juno said fondly once they'd gotten it out of their system.

"Yeah it's good to see you too Jay," He kept his eyes trained on the so called 'shit-sandwich' in his hands and continued. "I'm...sorry I didn't wait to say hello to you when I first got here. Mom said you were still asleep and I had some...things I needed to take care of before the others got here."

Juno shrugged. "You'd think your brother coming home from the moon would warrant an early wake up call but mom likes to make sure I get my eight hours."

She paused and Luther was beginning to worry they were going to have to suffer through an awkward silence.

"...so where's the cheese?"

Luther blinked owlishly. "Huh?"

"You know the cheese from the moon."

He blinked again. "Uh..."

"The rock is made of cheese Luther, did you remember?"

She said it in such a very serious tone that Luther couldn't be sure that she was messing with him. "The moon...there's no cheese on the—"

Juno threw her hands up and took on a rather theatrical tone. "You forgot the cheese! This is terrible, and here I thought my beloved brother would be sure to bring me back a souvenir from his lunar escapades!"

Luther was now thoroughly confused. "I'm sorry..?"

"There's only one way to right this wrong Luther! Do you accept?" Juno said with fire burning in her dark eyes.

"...sure" Luther replied, completely at a loss.

"Great!" Juno said, now perfectly cheerful. "Let's go." She began to walk away from Luther with purpose.

"Hold on!" Luther started, "Go where?"

Juno continued to march away, not stopping to look at him as she answered. "To finish your recon of the perimeter of course, where else."

Luther called out. "I don't need back up!"

Juno kept walking.

He started behind his sister. "You don't have to come with me I can take care of it myself"

"If you didn't want me to come with you then you should've brought the cheese!"

Luther had to jog to catch up now. "Listen it's not that I don't appreciate the help but I really think I'd work better alone."

Juno stopped this time and quirked one eyebrow at him. "Do you really think a single pair of eyes is enough to cover a whole square block effectively? This compound's like... five acres. Remember."

"Well—"

"That's area of like fourball fields… fourball—BALLS—.

Luther waited for her to finish.

"Four _foot_ball fields." She spat out.

"Well when you put it that way.."

"Exactly. Juno nodded, "The best course of action is I've got your back." She put her hand on his shoulder. "Kay?"

Luther flinched despite himself, it was minuscule but he hoped his sister hadn't notice.

Luther had never been physically affectionate (except with Allison). He liked his personal space. Since his accident that need for space had increased tenfold. He found that he couldn't look himself in the eye when he looked in the mirror. Disgusted by the feeling of _wrong_ when he looked at his new body. Shoulders that weren't his, torso that wasn't his, hands that had to be someone else's. Hair where there shouldn't be hair.

A _body _that wasn't his.

It was all so wrong that he covered himself from head to toe.

'_Out of sight, out of mind'_

But it wasn't out of his mind, not really. Luther was always _aware_ of the fact that he wasn't human under his coat, acutely aware of the kind of reactions he'd receive if anyone ever saw him without it. So Luther was careful.

He didn't go out, (not that he went out often, he never knew when his father would need him after all) there were too many people and too much risk.

He didn't let people touch him either because he was worried they'd be able to tell that something was _wrong _under his grey overcoat. It seemed impossible for them not to.

His father had encouraged the coat even when there was no one around. Sometimes his father would grimace when he entered the room—Luther pretended not to notice.

It made perfect sense after all. Luther had failed his mission and suffered the consequences. He was Number One, he was supposed to be better than that. His father had every right to be ashamed.

Of course Luther didn't tell his siblings. Juno knew of course since she lived at the house and it had been nice to have someone who understood what it felt like to have life change in the blink of an eye.

But Luther hadn't told any of the rest of them. They all left, none of them deserved to know. Luther didn't feel like broadcasting his greatest failure. He could imagine Diego's voice clear as day: "_Just look at you now Number __**One**_"

He didn't want their pity...

Luther sighed, he had to admit Juno had a point. "Okay. But I'm point."

His little sister nodded eagerly. "Of course. After you Boss!" She declared as she gestured dramatically ahead of them.

Luther swallowed the last of his sandwich and led the way.

* * *

They didn't end up finding anything, which was supposed to be a good thing, but Luther couldn't help but feel disappointed.

It must've shown on his face because the gremlin next to him decided to comment on it.

"You've got shit-sandwich face again Lu, what's the matter?"

"Nothing, I'm fine." He responded, his tone giving him away.

"..."

"I was just…hoping something would be out here." The blonde said finally.

"Like what?"

"I don't know just something!" Luther was starting to get a little irritated now but not with Juno, with himself. "Look," he continued. "You know that dad's been paranoid recently right?"

"Dad's always been paranoid Luther."

Luther shook his head. "This is different. Just before he died he told me to be careful who I trust"

His sister didn't look convinced. Clearly she didn't get it. "Don't you think it's suspicious that right after he tells me to be careful who I trust that dad suddenly turns up dead?" He elaborated.

"I think you're picking at straws Luther."

"_Grasping _at straws." he corrected.

"That's what I said. Straws straws straws Luther, it's all straws. Dad was nuts—Old people nuts." She looked him straight in the eye to make sure she got the point across.

"Dad's not crazy." Luther defended staunchly.

"Dad was always crazy. You know." Juno replied firmly and signaled with her hands. "You weren't here okay? Nuts. All the time nuts, alright."

Sometimes understanding what his sister was trying to say could be a difficult task for Luther, this wasn't one of those times.

He'd sent his father regular reports without any kind of regular correspondence. He received video calls on occasion. His father's calls had always been clipped and to the point throughout the entirety of his four years on the moon, devoid of any small talk or pleasantries. That was why, when his father had sent him a long rambling message about watching his back, how nothing was what it seemed and that no one could be trusted, Luther listened.

"_Be careful whom you trust my boy…"_

But Luther hadn't lived 24/7 with his father in those four years like Juno had. Did he really know what his father was like anymore? If his father had been losing his mind, would Luther really have been able to tell from 238,900 miles away?

"Dad was old Luther." His sister continued gently, "Old people die."

How old was his father? Even in Luther's earliest memories, Reginald Hargreeves was always old and grey. Timeless. _Untouchable_.

"I was in the house. I was there in the morning when Pogo found him. No one else was in the house, I'd've noticed, you know I would have. Nothing happened Lu."

Luther wrung his face in his hands. He wasn't sure at what point he'd sat down but there he was, sitting cross-legged in a heap on the wet grass. He hoped it didn't stain.

"Dad's just _dead." _He said slowly. '_Could it really be that simple?' _The lack of evidence seemed to speak for itself.

"Dad's just dead" Juno confirmed. "No one was here. Old people die."

'_Old people die'_

_There was no wrong to right here. No father to avenge, because old people die._

Juno joined him on the grass. The both of them sat next to each other, not saying anything for awhile as Luther came to terms with the idea.

It was Juno who broke the silence first.

"Okay Boss?"

"Yeah...I'm okay" Luther said slowly.

There was another pause.

"What happens now?" She asked abruptly.

"You mean the funeral? Once everyone gets here we'll spread the ashes, mom made dinner but I don't think—"

"I mean after," she interrupted. "What happens after? The house. Us—what happens?"

Juno could never hide her emotions when she felt something strongly enough. It was something that their father had admonished her for throughout their childhood.

Luther could tell she was afraid.

_So was he._

"I uh, I don't know." Luther answered honestly.

As far as Luther knew their father didn't have a will so he was sure they could keep living in the house. Even if his father did have a will, surely at least Luther would be on it. '_Right?'_

He was a loyal son, who else would his father leave his things to?

'_But what about after?'_

With his father gone what would Luther do with his life? Continue the Academy? He'd been a one-man team for awhile already. '_But was that really what he wanted?'_

Would he get a job? _Could _he get a job? And what did this mean for Juno. Would she just stay home like she had for the past twenty years, like nothing had changed. Luther would never kick her out, but now that dad was gone maybe she'd want to go. Maybe felt like she _had _to go.

Reginald Hargreeves had always seemed untouchable. So untouchable that Luther never even stopped to consider what life would be like without him.

'_It was his job as Number One to protect the family'_

"I'm not sure what happens after," Luther said honestly. "but whatever it is, we'll be okay. I promise." He looked Juno in the eye to make sure she understood. "Okay?"

Juno smiled slightly. "Yeah bossman"

They'd started walking back to the house in a comfortable silence when Luther was struck by the need to ask a question that had been nagging at him for quite some time.

"You uh...you know the moon's not actually made of cheese right?

"Yes Luther, I know the moon's not actually made of cheese."

* * *

At some point Juno thought a race back home was a good idea.

"_Last one there's an old man!" _

She'd shoved Luther behind her and shot ahead of him like a bullet. Luther, who was nothing if not a good sportsman, took the _blatant_ display of cheating gracefully and had run right after her. By the time he stepped through the Academy's front doors he was out of breath like the 'old man' he was, Juno having arrived well ahead of him.

Those years on the moon had made him soft.

Luther was just thinking about how he needed to be sure to go upstairs and to tell Juno he _let_ her win when Pogo came into the foyer.

"Excuse me Master Luther, I'm sure it's nothing, but it has just occurred to me that your father's monocle appears to have been misplaced. I can't seem to find it anywhere."

"_Be very careful whom you trust my boy. You can never be sure just what manner of serpent awaits the right moment to strike"_

**Luther was Number One. It was his job to protect the family.**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Again, any mistakes in Juno's dialogue is intentional

Anything else is my fault

CROSS POSTED: AO3 and Wattpad under same name


	3. Weddings Are Better Than Funerals

Was it odd to admit that you're excited for your father's funeral? Probably. But that certainly didn't stop Juno. This would be the first time all of the Hargreeves children would be under the Academy roof since they'd turned eighteen. For better or worse she had high hopes for today. If nothing else she hoped that they could progress to seeing each other more often than just at weddings and funerals.

_'Allison's wedding sure had been fun.'_

And speaking of Allison, she was here, upstairs to be more precise. Diego was here too, and Klaus. Juno could tell as soon as she'd made it through the Academy's front doors after having left Luther to eat her dust. They must've been outside longer than she'd thought.

She decided to go with the closest sibling and greet Diego first. In a very good mood after the successful little heart-to-heart with Luther, Juno practically skipped over to him, her steps heavy against the black and white tile floors.

"Hey Diego, hi Mom." She greeted.

"Hey Squirt," he pulled her into a one-sided hug. "Long time no see." He joked.

Her mother didn't get up from her seat next to where Diego stood, nor did she really give any real indication that she knew that Juno was there at all as she continued to stare off into space. She hadn't been herself since dad died.

Diego noticed too as he looked over at their mother with a troubled expression.

"It's been ages Diego, you simply must tell me what you've been up to in the past day and a half!"

"Nothing much, cracked some skulls saved some lives, downed a bottle of bourbon in honor of our father's long overdue passing."

"Nothing like alcohol poisoning to start off the festivities!" Juno gave her brother a bit of a side-eye as she took in his ever present leather suit. "I see you're dressed for the occasion. You're not planning to crack a few skulls while you're here are you?"

Diego shrugged. "No, but the day just started so who knows."

Diego gave Juno his own side-eye and took his sweet time looking her over.

"What?"

"You remember this is a funeral right, you're supposed to look better than you normally do for that stuff."

The youngest Hargreeves scoffed. "Well you're one to talk. You wear that suit all the time. The-the-th only reason I haven't said anything is because I'm pretty sure that the nicest thing you on-own."

Diego gestured to his outfit. "I'm wearing black, what's your excuse?"

Juno looked down at herself, from her well-loved army green bomber jacket to her mid-top sneakers.

"You need to get—eyes—your eyes checked dingus. My jeans are clearly black." She pulled on the collar of her jacket for effect. "Beside you can't perfect perfection. I look my best all the time."

Juno had, in actuality, spent quite a bit of time on her appearance that morning, more than she'd care to admit. She was by no means a particularly vain person. In fact most of the time Juno was perfectly fine with just throwing on whatever she had in her closet, but today was different. She needed to be sure she looked nice; mature, in control. After so long Juno wanted nothing more than to make a good impression on her estranged siblings. Diego didn't need to know all that though.

Diego laughed. "Oh right, my bad," he coughed slightly and straightened up where he stood. "So how are you."

Juno shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm alright, can't complain."

Not falling for his sister's supposed unfazed attitude Diego shook his head. "Nah Squirt, how are you really?"

Juno sighed, she really hated serious conversations. She also really hated serious conversations about feelings.

"You sure I can't just say I'm alright?" She asked helplessly.

Diego shot her a look that said there was no easy way out of talking about her emotions. Giving in, she sighed again.

"I uh..I'm okay. It's just a…" she started to grasp at the air around her, as if willing it to help her come up with the proper words to articulate her feelings. "It's, it's a—shock. Yeah?"

Juno found it easier to talk about these kind of things when she didn't have to worry about maintaining eye contact. Consequently, she wasn't exactly looking at Diego's face at this point, it was more like Diego's left pec, but Juno could tell he was nodding at her to continue.

"It's kinda like 'what now' ya know?" As tended to happen in moments of high stress and emotion Juno was having a much harder time finding her words.

She _really_ hated feelings.

She'd kept it together when Luther had been having his mini exesstential crisis and had managed to serve as a decent support system, a fact Juno was proud of. She hadn't bet on having another heart-to-heart so soon after though.

Juno supposed was a stupid thing to hope for at a funeral. A wedding would've been much easier.

"...like I know we weren't close, especially not after...but I'm still sad. I'm sad and.."

'_Sad and what?'_

"I'm just really…!"

'It's like sad but not as heavy, a sour kind of sad. But what was it exactly.'

"I'm just—crap!" It was funny how you didn't even have to think about a swear word for it to come flying out of your mouth.

"You're just disappointed." Offered Diego's gravelly voice.

Juno couldn't pinpoint exactly when her brother had gotten so good at knowing what she meant and being able to tell when she wanted someone to fill in the blank for her without having to be told. It just seemed to come naturally to him.

"Yeah... I'm disappointed." She admitted, her gaze now closer to the floor than it was to Diego.

"Listen, you don't owe that man shit Jay, not a damn thing."

"Not a damn thing," she parroted back, her eyes working their way back up to Diego's face.

"Not a damn thing." He reiterated adamantly. "Dad was an asshole Jay, assholes' opinions don't matter."

Juno could remember a time when their father's opinion was all that mattered to Diego.

Juno could also remember the day that the respect Diego had for their father's opinion had vanished completely.

"I know I shouldn't care but I wanted to show him..."

_It was the same day Reginald Hargreeves opinion had come to mean everything to Juno._

"You never needed to 'show' him anything Jay." Her brother insisted doggedly. "Real fathers don't just dump their kids when things get tough like he did with you."

_The term her father had used was 'useless'. As in lacking in purpose or meaning._

Diego was starting to sound angry now, and Juno wondered just how much of it was due to this conversation and just how much of it was from all the things he'd bottled up over the years. All the things he'd wanted to say to dad for years that he'd never be able to get off his chest now that he was gone.

Diego kept going. "Real men don't do that okay, cowards do—selfish cowards! He was so obsessed with this insane supersoldier image he had for all of us that he didn't even stop to get to know the people we were outside of his little pet project."

Diego was now the one who couldn't quite hold her gaze while Juno looked on. There was this little vein that would pop up on her brother's forehead when he got angry that was currently on full display. Juno didn't like it.

Diego huffed slightly and released some of the tension he'd built up in his shoulders. "If dad couldn't see the great person you are then that's his problem. Fuck the bastard."

"...you think I'm great?"

Her brother groaned in response.

Juno took on a teasing tone. "Aww, Diego thinks his little sister's great."

"Don't let it go to your head Squirt. God knows we can't have that thing getting any bigger."

The vein had disappeared from Diego's forehead. '_Mission accomplished.'_

Juno snorted, a half smile having made its way onto her face. "You said it not me."

"Assholes' opinions don't matter." She repeated to Diego, the both of them now perfectly capable of looking at each other.

No matter how true the statement may have been, Juno couldn't stop herself from caring about her father's approval. It had been the one thing she had been after for years now, she couldn't just let it go from one day to the next. But that wasn't what Diego needed to hear.

"Assholes' opinions don't matter. Now—" her brother was cut off by the sudden interjection of their mother's voice.

"Diego Hargreeves, language young man." The two siblings jumped, both having forgotten their mother's presence in the room.

Diego looked positively sheepish at his mom's gentle admonishment. "So-sorry mom," he coughed into his fist. "Won't happen again."

Juno almost didn't notice her brother's stutter. It was another one of his tells, like little cracks in his hard outer shell.

"I sure hope not mister, otherwise I might just have to wash your mouth out with soap." Grace said jokingly. The blonde then seemed to take in her surroundings for the first time, finally noticing her youngest in the room.

"Oh hello sweetheart," she greeted warmly. "I don't think I heard you come in. Did your brother like his sandwich?"

"Hi Mom!" Juno greeted back, not missing a beat and choosing not to comment on her mother's worrying bouts of obliviousness. "I made sure Luther finished the sandwich, no worries."

Diego shot Juno a surprised look at the mention of Luther's name but didn't interrupt.

Grace smiled a perfect pearly-white smile. "That's wonderful! I'm sure the food your father sends your brother is perfectly fine, but I just can't imagine it being very enjoyable."

Juno nodded in agreement. "Nothing beats a good sandwich."

The immaculate blonde seemed to come to a sudden realization as her face fell. "Oh I'm sorry dear, I forgot to ask if you'd like one."

Juno shook her head quickly. "It's okay mom, I had like six pancakes at breakfast so I'm good."

Their mother nodded thoughtfully."Oh yes that's right...are you sure you don't want one anyway though sweetheart. It's really no trouble."

When Juno responded again in the negative she moved on to Diego.

"What about you honey, would you like something?"

"I ate before I got here mom, maybe later?" He conceded.

Their mother deflated in her seat and the two Hargreeves siblings immediately wished they'd asked for a dozen sandwiches each.

But as quickly as one might flip a switch the elegant woman instantly perked up. "You know what," she announced as she got up and started to make her way out of the sitting room. "I think I'll ask your father if he'd like anything."

That sent Diego into action and he quickly grabbed his mother's elbow to stop her. "Wait mom!"

Grace looked positively confused at her son's sudden outburst, a fact that drove a knife straight into her children's hearts. "What's the matter honey?"

Diego couldn't quite bring himself to break it to his mom so abruptly, not when she was so clearly out of sorts. "Dad's, dad's gone remember?" His mother's dazed response drove the knife in further

"Gone? Gone where?"

"Dad died," came Juno soft voice to his left. "His funeral's today remember?"

Small 'oh' of surprise appeared on her face before she blinked several times in a row. "Oh..." She said slowly, "Okay…"

Moving more robotically than she ever had before, Grace turned on her heel and sat herself right back into her armchair. Within seconds her eyes had taken on the empty look they'd had when Juno'd walked in the room.

The pair watched their mother's form as she sat as still as a statue. They spoke softly so as to not disturb her, though in truth they weren't too sure if she could so much as bat an eye at them given the state she was in.

"How long she been like this?" Diego questioned sharply.

Juno's voice adopted a rather grave quality. "She's been off since Dad died. I thought maybe she was just tired or something at first but it's been days. I think it might be shock."

Diego huffed and sucked his teeth.

Numbers Two and Zero had never seen their mother as a machine. To them she was just as real as they were, just with metal and wires instead of flesh and bone. She laughed, she loved and she cared for them deeply. She was real in every way that mattered, and in many ways Grace Hargreeves was more human than the people you'd find out on the street.

Grace Hargreeves was extraordinary.

She was the perfect mother, the only mother any of her children knew or needed. But if one looked close enough they'd see that she existed in a kind of imperfect perfection.

She'd been designed to fit the mold of a model housewife. Perfectly pleasant, perfectly poised, positively demure and above all, obedient. Whatever their father demanded of her their mother had to comply with. Incapable of voicing a contrary opinion or going against their father in any way, she was often Reginald Hargreeves' silent partner. No matter how much they cried or begged Grace would not- could not- come to her children's rescue. When their father's training became too much or his punishments too severe their mother would only stand there with a plastic ear to ear smile on her face.

Made to be dignified and in no way unpleasant, the ability to properly express negative emotions hadn't been built-in. That didn't mean that Grace wasn't capable of feeling those emotions however.

Though their mother hadn't shed a single tear when Ben died, it in no way meant that she'd mourned his death any less. Juno hadn't been in a state to notice much of anything, and the rest of his siblings had too wrapped up in their own grief to notice, but Diego knew. Though she went through the motions day after day like nothing was wrong, Diego, who'd always stuck to his mother like her shadow, could see that it wasn't. Her smiles were stiff as they didn't reach her eyes, her hand would shake even though she was built to possess the steady hands of a surgeon, her responses were rehearsed and artificial in a way they never had been before.

And she would stare. In the early days, if she'd pass by Ben's room or so much as glanced at his statue she'd stare.

_When the last thing you want to do is smile and be happy and you can't cry, what else is there to do except suffer in silence._

That was what was happening here, but the extreme disorientation was a new and concerning symptom. When Ben'd died mom had never forgotten what'd happened, she'd never been so unaware so as to not notice when she was being spoken to.

_But this wasn't like when Ben died._

Diego could only handle one crisis at a time so the next thing he said was, "So, Luther's here. When did that happen?"

Juno gave a great sigh of exasperation.

"What's that supposed to mean? Diego asked indignantly.

"It means I know that look in your eye," she continued languidly. "Luther got home this morning. We were outside earlier he'll be in soon." She gave Diego an imploring look. "Can you please try and be nice?"

Her brother looked peeved. "What're you telling me for? Luther likes to act all high and mighty but he likes to fight just as much as I do"

Shaking her head Juno began waving her hands around absentmindedly. "I know you two…you feed off each other, but what I'm saying is don't go in ready to pop. Things are one giant matchbox, with everyone."

She made a 'boom' motion with her hands. "Okay? I'm not saying don't yell and be angry I just don't want everyone at each other's throats from the get go. So nice?" She added hopefully.

Juno didn't wanna tell Diego just how worried she was that she might go 'boom!'. Two serious conversations back-to-back and the looming, ever present threat of an uncertain future had spawned the beginnings of a headache and the day had only just started.

Diego was just about to respond when Luther's impressive figure thundered upstairs, the bang echoing throughout the house.

"I don't think I'm the one you need to remind to be civil Squirt." The dark haired man snarked.

Juno could only look.

Luther certainly hadn't been that fired up when she'd left him a few minutes ago. She thought that now that her older brother had let go of the delusion of their father's murder that he'd be able to start grieving properly. When she'd left, Luther's demeanor had been melancholic and wistful but now he seemed to have done a complete 180°.

_What the hell happened?_

Thoroughly puzzled by her brother's abrupt moodswing Juno was only peripherally aware of Pogo's cane as he ambled passed the room they were in. "The point still stands!" She answered quickly. "If nothing else think of it this way, you can one up Luther by being the bigger man, doesn't that sound nice?"

Diego simply scoffed and crossed his arms.

Wanting to put off the Number One vs. Number Two showdown for as long as possible Juno insisted the following: "You know Klaus is here. You should go ask him for that bail money he owes you."

Her brother shot her an incredulous look.

"Okay fine!" She relented. "But I really do think you should go see Klaus. I'm pretty sure he's like sec-send...seconds from pocketing the family silver and you're like basically a cop so— uh oh!"

At that exact moment Vanya walked into the academy and Diego's face morph into a glare so strong it could peel the paint off a car.

Vanya clearly didn't see either her or Diego as she called out to mom (with no response) and Allison glided down the stairs towards her.

Aside from Luther, Vanya was the only other sibling who's arrival Juno was afraid of for Diego's sake (Juno herself was worried about Klaus but that was a whole other issue). This statement was an odd thing to admit as Vanya herself was the exact opposite of intimidating. Already small, Vanya seemed resolved to make herself even smaller, always hunched over, eyes downcast like she hoped the ground might swallow her or perhaps hoping that those around her didn't notice her.

Vanya was always small.

Or perhaps she'd been made to be that way.

Her voice was like a whisper, tiny and inconsequential, impossible to hear over the roar of those around her. If you weren't careful you'd miss what she had to say. Sometimes she didn't say anything because there was no one who cared to listen.

_Like a little mouse_

Juno hadn't been angry when Vanya's book came out. She'd been offended that Vanya hadn't so much as bother to let any of them know she'd be laying out all the skeletons in their closet for the world to see, but that quickly gave way to awe in the face of what little Number Seven had the balls to do.

Diego was angry though, Diego was so _angry._

He'd been betrayed. Things he'd hoped to take to his grave were being paraded around as canon fodder for wine moms and their book clubs to consume. Complete strangers who had no business knowing the nitty gritty of his personal life, knew everything and then some, the kinds of things that he'd only ever really wanted a therapist to know about. He hadn't been recognized as the Kraken in years, a fact he'd been grateful for, but now suddenly guys on the force were making snide comments about daddy-issues and super fans started pounding on doors looking for him. He'd been exposed in a way that'd he had in no way consented to, he had a right to feel violated. Five years on and it was still an incredibly sore spot.

Juno knew this, she also knew that if Vanya had chosen to write her parts differently, if Vanya had chosen to write what happened to Ben differently, she'd've been angry too. Juno couldn't hold anything against her brother. He had a right to his feelings, Juno just wished that Diego getting the closure he needed didn't involve as much of a screaming match as she imagined.

"Mr. Nice," Juno babbled out quickly. "That's you okay Diego. Try? Please?"

Diego breathed out forcefully through his nose before he set his jaw and lumbered towards where Allison and Vanya were standing.

"What's she doing here," he grumbled out. "You don't belong here, not after what you did." He continued on upstairs not stopping to look at either of his sisters.

Vanya shrunk back slightly as Allison came to her defense.

On the surface Diego's actions may have appeared to be the exact opposite of nice, but Juno was well aware of just what Diego had wanted to say to Vanya not so long ago. This was him holding back.

If Vanya was a mouse then her brother was a pitbull. Not a pitbull like how most people imagined them but a real pitbull. Maybe a little scary looking at first and if he really wanted to he could tear you to pieces(any dog can really). But he wouldn't because behind that mean mug was this big softy with an oversized heart who loved his mom and was scared of needles.

'_Yeah...Diego the pitbull…'_

"—forget about him. I'm glad you're here."

Snapping out of her own thoughts, Juno took a small calming breath before rushing over to greet her sisters. Vanya noticed her first. "Hi Juno." She greeted softly.

There was an odd dichotomy between Allison and Vanya that seemed to take center stage as they stood next to each other. Allison was loud and bold, Vanya was timid and unassuming. Vanya looked slightly uncomfortable and lost, like she might have a heart attack if you addressed her too loudly. Allison, by contrast, had never been anything but confident. Regal, with an aura of charisma that people couldn't help but stop and admire. Her very presence screamed 'Look at me.'"

_'Vanya the mouse, Diego the pitbull and Allison the—Peacock!'_

It was Allison's confused "I'm sorry?", that let Juno know she'd said that last bit out loud.

"Oh uh.." she managed to sputter out looking between Allison's bemused expression and Vanya's sad eyes. "oops it just..just popped out—words uh..whoops sorry—. "

It felt like the phone call incident all over again, only this time Juno couldn't hide the embarrassment slowly creeping into her face. In that moment it hit her that she hadn't talked to this many people in a row in ages.

Allison took pity on her and picked up the conversation. "How've you been Juno? It's been way too long." She asked kindly. Vanya, for her part, was sending her painfully understanding and encouraging looks.

_'I know.'_ She thought. '_I missed you.' 'What took you so long?'_

Juno licked her lips, her mouth suddenly feeling dry as she tried to line up the thoughts in her head so they'd make words in her mouth. But her mind was going a mile a minute

_'Why'd you leave me behind? It's lonely in here'_

_'I hope you still play violin Vanya. I always liked it. Especially after—**I'M SORRY!'**_

'_How's Claire? I tried calling you, did you know that—**MY HEAD HURTS!"**_

Juno shook her head to try clearing up her thoughts. Not trusting her thoughts-to-words filter, she did the next best thing to get her point across.

In a flash both Vanya and Allison found themselves squeezed into a bear hug and lifted off the ground. Vanya gave a slight squeak in surprise while Allison "oof"-ed at the sudden force of the embrace

"Well hello to you too sis." Allison joked, still held hostage in Juno's grasp. "Hi Juno" Vanya repeated just as softly, the faintest of smiles on her face, though her frame was still tense.

She let the pair go. "Hi." She said finally. She directed her gaze towards Vanya. "Didn't think you'd come."

"Yeah, I wasn't sure if I'd come myself, but here I am." Vanya shrugged her shoulders lamely and looked positively abashed in her all black outfit and coat.

_'Dressed for the occasion, well done little mouse.'_

"You're here," Juno repeated nodding, smiling at Vanya in an effort to put her at ease. "I like it, it's good."

Vanya was still hunched over slightly but she responded gratefully. "Thanks Juno."

* * *

The sisters talked for a little while longer before Vanya let them know she wanted to check out the house and say hi to Pogo.

So when Allison got a mischievous glint in her eye and asked if Juno'd like to check out Dad's study it was just the two of them.

"What do you think is in there?" Allison asked conversationally as they made their way over.

"Weed and chocolate." Juno answered automatically, aware of how ridiculous that sounded the minute she'd said it.

The image of their no nonsense father lighting up joints and munching on chocolate bars in his spare time was just too much and Allison chortled. "You think so?"

"It's Klaus." Juno amended. "Klaus is in there, he's the weed and chocolate."

Allison then slid the door to the study open and just as Juno had said, Klaus was under dad's desk, apparently looking for "the cash".

"Klaus?" She called out. "What're you doing in here?"

A head of messy black curls popped out from under the desk.

"Oh! Allison! Wow, is that you?" Klaus' lanky frame sprang up and he pulled his sister into a lazy hug. "Hey, come here. Long time, too long. '' He pulled away before setting his head on his hands.

Klaus spoke gleefully. "Hey, I was hoping to see you, actually, because I wanted to get your autograph. Add it to my collection!"

Allison grabbed at her eccentric brother's wrist, spying the plastic bracelet. "Just outta rehab?" She questioned somewhat critically.

"No no. No, no no." Klaus said shifting away slightly and waving his hand dismissively for good measure. "No. I'm done with all that."

He then spotted his littlest sister looking a little spaced out as she stared at nothing in particular.

"Jaybird!" He exclaimed. "My goodness, look at you sweetheart. Those cheekbones are to die for, and gotta say, you really need to give me your skincare routine because you look great. And between you and me I'd_ love_ to shave off a few years."

The' jaybird' in question didn't answer right away and though she was looking at Klaus her eyes still looked unfocused. Klaus carried on, pulling her into a hug and smothering her into his fluffy lapels, stroking the dark hair on her head. "How's my baby bird hmm? Have you been good for your favorite brother?

That seemed to have snapped Juno out of it as she returned his hug and exclaimed, "Weed and chocolate, I found you!"

Allison gave a rather unladylike snort but Klaus took it all in stride. He put his hand over his heart. "Yes but it's all medicinal I swear! The chocolate by the way not the weed." He joked. "A little bit of the devil's lettuce never hurt anybody."

"Chocolate fixes everything." Juno agreed.

"Don't I know it." He remarked. "I might just have to have some once this is all over, because I just got here and I can already tell it's gonna be a real treat. Want a square? He asked.

Allison smirked. "No thanks Klaus, I think I'll be okay."

"How about you Jaybird? I know it doesn't really work for you but chocolate's still chocolate."

Juno shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't see why not."

"Great!" Klaus glided back over to their father's chair. "You know, tearful goodbyes aside, I only really came down here for one reason. Do you know what that is?" He hopped in the chair and started rolling around in it.

Not waiting for a response from either of his sisters Klaus continued on. "I came down here to prove to myself that the old man was really gone.

And he is! He's dead!" He proclaimed gleefully.

Most people would be pretty perturbed by their brother's delight at their father's passing, but not the Hargreeveses. They were messed up like that.

"Yeah! You know how I know? Because if he were alive, not one of us would be allowed to set foot in this room. He was always in here, our whole childhood, plotting his next torment, right?" Klaus chuckled.

"Remember how he used to look at us? That scowl? Thank Christ he's not our real father so we couldn't inherit those cold, dead eyes!"

The siblings chuckled right back as he started out on a less than flattering impression of their father, everyone in the room finally starting to relax.

The moment was ruined however, by Luther's less than pleased voice demanding Klaus get out of dad's chair.

Klaus wasn't phased by Luther's tone. He was however phased by Luther's new bulging physique. "Oh, wow, Luther! Wow, you really, uh...You really filled out over the years, huh?"

"Klaus.." Luther growled out, not the least bit amused with that foul mood that Juno still didn't quite understand.

"Save the lecture. Klaus said quickly, briskly trying to make his way out of the room. "I was already leaving. You guys can talk amongst yourselves."

Luther's beefy arm stopped him before he could though.

Juno smirked. She almost thought Luther wouldn't notice.

"Drop it."

"Ex-squeeze me?"

Luther held firm. "Do it. Now."

There was a pause where Klaus considered whether he could get away with it by playing dumb.

"All right. All right." He said tearing his arm away from Luther with a grumble.

"It's just an advance on our inheritance!" Klaus started pulling item after item from just about everywhere on his person, and neither Juno nor Allison could stop the giggle that made its way out of their mouths.

"That's all it is. No need to get your little panties in a bunch." He mocked on his way out.

Juno followed right behind him, not wanting to get in the way of the long awaited Number One and Number Three reunion. "Have fun you two!" She yelled as she shut the door.

She was just in time to see Klaus kiss the ornate box he'd pulled from the back of his shirt. "Whatcha got there?"

He jumped up in surprise, his green eyes wide open. "Oh! You scared me there Jaybird." He looked at her conspiratorially "You're not gonna rat me out are you?"

'Cat. Klaus the cat.' Juno shook her head no. "Snitches get stitches." She said plainly.

"Right you are little sister. Did I ever tell you about the time I got in trouble with the Russian mob?" Juno didn't responded so he kept going.

"Well long story short, they were sure I was some kinda informant after this deal went sideways- story for another time- and well the whole thing was just a doozy!" He finished with a chuckle.

Juno nodded back at him but her face was stiff. Klaus didn't let on that he noticed.

He patted the little red box in his hands lovingly. "I'm gonna go pawn this baby off, wanna come with?"

Once upon a time Juno would've jumped at the chance to go anywhere with Klaus. Wherever they went they were sure to get into trouble. There was never a dull moment between them and they lived for it.

_'Not anymore, not after...It's my fault…**WHY WON'T YOU YELL AT ME?!—'**_

Juno rubbed her temples and grimaced. "Uh no, no thanks, I think I'm good."

Klaus deflated just the slightest bit. "Okay then. Let me know when you want that edible!" He sang and then he was off.

Once Klaus was out of earshot Juno let cry of frustration. Beating her fists against her temples she started speed walking away with no particular direction in mind except for away.

But you can't run away from your thoughts.

**'COWARD!' You useless coward.'**

'**Can't even face your own faults—YOU DESERVE ANYTHING HE GIVES YOU'**

Juno did deserve anything her siblings had to say because she was selfish

'**ITS ALL—!'** She deserved whatever her father had to say because she was useless.

'**YOUR FAULT—!**' She especially deserved whatever Klaus, or rather Ben, had to say.

Because it was all her fault...

Juno's feet had led her to the fireplace where Diego had been waiting around.

"Whoa Squirt, what's the matter?" His voice was full of concern when it should've been full of contempt.

'**ALL YOUR FAULT All YOUR FAULT!—'**

She rubbed the heel of her hand into her forehead. "I wish you were marrying Eudora!" She shouted.

This caught Diego off guard. "What does Patch have to do with—"

"Weddings are so much more fun than funerals! Patch is so pretty and you two are great together. Wedding, wedding...I need a wedding!" Juno was so worked up that she hadn't noticed that her words had begun to slur, but Diego did.

"Whoa whoa let's take breath okay. Relax, sit down."

When Juno didn't sit he went over and pushed her gently into a couch.

"Now breath and tell me what's the matter."

Though Juno did breath it didn't help. Seeing Klaus again had dragged too many emotions.

"Weddings are better than funeral!...no ones dead and everything's great—No one's dead, no one's dead and everything's fine!"

Diego brought his hands up placatingly. "Okay, okay I think I know what's going on here."

Juno was fairly certain Diego did not know what was going on.

"Luther talked to you didn't he, told you that little conspiracy theory he's got."

Juno responded "yes", because Luther had talked to her. But that wasn't why she was upset. Juno didn't think Diego realized it though.

"Don't listen to him okay. Luther's just trying to make problems where there aren't any."

Juno's head was killing her.

Diego was back to being concerned and Juno wondered if she'd said that out loud as well. "You want me to ask mom to get you your medicine?"

Juno shook her head vigorously.

She hated her medicine. A regular dose made her dead to the world for hours and she hadn't come this far to have to be knocked out before the actual ceremony.

"Okay," Diego said unconvinced. "But it's there if you need it, and remember you can just chill in your room if you need to take a timeout, no one'll say anything; I'll make sure."

_'Diego the lovable marshmallow pitbull'_

* * *

Eventually the remaining Hargreeves siblings made their way into the room. Luther being the leader that he was, stood up and took charge of the conversation.

"So, I figured we could have a sort of memorial service in the courtyard at sundown. Say a few words, just at Dad's favorite spot."

"Dad had a favorite spot?" Allison asked, voicing everyone's confusion"

"Yeah you know, under the oak tree...we used to sit out there all the time. None of you ever did that?"

Klaus came over with a goblet of whiskey and squished Juno into Vanya as he sat down. He waved a cigarette around haphazardly.

"Will there be refreshments? Tea? Scones? Cucumber sandwiches are always a winner."

"What? No. And put that out you know Dad didn't allow smoking in here."

"Is that my skirt?" Chimed in Allison.

"What? Oh yeah, this. I found it in your room. It's a little dated, I know, but it's very breathey on the bits."

Luther was losing control, he didn't like that. "Listen up. There's still some important things we need to discuss alright?"

Diego knew where this was going. "Like what?"

"Like the way he died."

"—and here we go."

"I don't understand," came Vanya. "I thought they said it was a heart attack?"

"Yeah, according to the coroner."

""Well, wouldn't they know?" She questioned again.

"Theoretically." He shot back.

This time it was Allison. "Theoretically?"

"I'm just saying, at the very least, something happened. The last time that I talked to Dad, he sounded strange."

"Oh quelle suprise!" Gurgled Klaus.

Juno was becoming more confused by the second as she sat next to him.

Allison didn't sound convinced but regardless she still asked, "Strange how?"

"He sounded on edge. Told me I should be careful who to trust."

Juno was being to worry Luther had taken a page out of her book and completely forgotten the conversation they'd had earlier. "We talked about this Lu remember? Nothing happened dad's just old"

Diego backed Juno up. "Luther, he was a paranoid, bitter old man who was starting to lose what was left of his marbles."

Luther wouldn't give up and when Klaus admitted he was too high to summon Dad he brought up his most damning piece of evidence.

"Then there's the issue of the missing monocle."

Diego was getting irritated. "Who gives a shit about a stupid monocle?" He spat.

Luther didn't pay him any mind. "Exactly. It's worthless. So whoever took it, I think it was personal. Someone close to him. Someone with a grudge."

Klaus was suspicious now, as was everyone else in the room. "Where you going with this?"

Diego beat him to it. "Oh, isn't it obvious, Klaus? He thinks one of us killed Dad."

Juno's headache was back in full swing. "Fuck you!" She yelled out.

There was a pause and when Luther didn't deny it everyone else began to join in.

"Way to lead Luther." Diego growled before he stalked away, Juno trailing behind him.

You're crazy man, I'm gonna go murder mom, be right back. Klaus said flippantly

Luther tried to get everyone to come back. Tried to get everyone to listen.

No one did.

* * *

**17 Years Ago**

"Relay the plan once more Number One."

Standing at attention, Luther answered his father with purpose.

"Once on the ground The Boy will teleport himself into the bank and proceed to open the back door from the inside, allowing Numbers Two, Three, Four, and Six entrance into the facility.

Once inside The Rumor will cause one of the gumen to shoot a member of his team, thus causing chaos and disorder amongst the targets. The resulting noise will service as a signal for myself and The Beast, who've by this time scaled the build, to come in through the skylight.

From there we are all to eliminate the threats in the main building by any means necessary, taking care to ensure the physical safety of the hostages. Once this is done The Horror will then eliminate the remaining threats within the bank's vault.

Afterwards we will exit the building in a dignified manner. We are to stand in formation in plain view of the cameras. Under no circumstances are we to address the media until your arrival, sir."

Not turning his gaze away from his view of the bank to properly address his children, Reginald Hargreeves praised the young boy behind him. "Well done Number One. While I certainly hope none of you children required that reminder, there will now be no excuse should any of you happen to forget your role in this mission."

He then motioned to the small girl next to him. "Number Seven shall be timing this mission from the moment you all begin to leave this rooftop to the moment you have successfully exited the building." His tone was monotonous, business-like, just as it was on any other given day.

"As this is your first mission I will be gracious enough to excuse what is sure to be an intolerable rescue time. You children will run exercises for however long is necessary to improve on this time once we've returned home."

None of the eight children present spoke. They'd all learned by now never to interrupt their father. Instead they stood as still as statues, ready to follow orders and eager to please.

"Number One."

"Sir." The twelve year old Luther replied in earnest.

"As the leader the success of this mission rests on your shoulders. While your siblings are each expected to react appropriately, as the leader any mistakes they may commit are ultimately a reflection of your inability to control your team. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir, I promise I—"

Hargreeves interrupted Luther roughly. "I can do nothing with promises dear boy. What I expect from you, _all_ of you, are results." Finally he turned around.

"Do I make myself clear." Though his tone hadn't actually changed, there was an underlying steel in his voice that the children couldn't help but notice.

Much to Luther's chagrin it was Diego who responded first. "We won't fail you." Not a stutter in sight.

Later Diego would remember to tell mom all about it.

Reginald Hargreeves gave a minuscule nod of acknowledgment. "Well, what are you all waiting for. Stop wasting time." He turned away again and the Umbrella Academy was off.

Vanya offered a "Good luck", as her siblings were leaving. None of them noticed it.

Luther and Juno were currently climbing up the side of the bank. Luther was silent, his face set in a hard determination. Juno was far less serious however. "You know this would probably be faster if I just carried you."

Luther was trying his hardest to keep his expression stoney under his mask. "No it wouldn't."

Juno took the challenge, adjusting her grip on the wall she then launched herself several feet higher up the building, managing to be several feet further up than Luther by extension. "You were saying?"

Though he couldn't quite make it out, Luther was certain he could hear the smug look on his sister's face. He kept his voice level. "Carrying me isn't part of the plan." Luther adjusted his grip on his rope and picked up the pace.

"Climbing parallel to each other draws less attention than having me on your back."

"What about a fireman's carry, would that be better?"

Luther needed to focus and decided the best course of action was to ignore his sister's

annoying commentary .

"What do you think dad has against pants?"

Luther groaned internally.

"I mean, I know our uniforms are supposed to be like school uniforms. But I think skirts are kind of impractical for hero work."

Luther kept climbing.

"It's not like we've got seasonal uniforms either so it's gonna be a problem in winter.

"..."

"I asked dad if I could at least wear shorts like you guys, you wanna hear what he said?"

The only thing Luther wanted was for his sister to start taking the mission seriously.

"He said that the "Academy dress code adheres to strict gender binary that won't be tarnished by distaste for skirts." Which is a lie because Klaus steals Ally's clothes all the time."

"..."

"It's not like I don't like skirts, I just don't like that I absolutely have to wear them. Ally doesn't mind so much but I do ."

By now Luther was level with Juno. "The whole point of us having codenames is so we don't have to use our real names. Stop wasting time and get a move on Zero." He ordered.

Juno's face twisted. "Whatever _Spaceboy._"

She turned away from him and shot herself up the rest of the way, deciding to sit on the ledge and wait for Luther. For a moment the blonde thought he'd finally get to work in silence.

"You know your codename makes no sense."

No such luck.

"I mean it's not like you can fly or anything. Plus what bad guy's gonna be intimidated by someone named Spaceboy?"

Luther was just over half way up now.

"Mine's cool though, Ben and Diego's too. Any bad guy would probably throw themselves in jail once they hear that guys named The Horror, The Kraken and The Beast were after them." Juno laughed delightedly at the thought.

She started swinging her legs back and forth as she sat. "Five's isn't great but it suits him ya know? Short and sweet. Madonna, Prince; The Boy."

"..."

"Do you think—"

Luther couldn't stop himself. "Will you please _shut up!"_

Juno stiffened at once.

Before Luther could react she began pulling on his rope and yanking him the rest of the way up the building. "Hey—!" He was dumped unceremoniously on the ground.

"You're welcome." Juno said sardonically.

Luther was quick to get to his feet, hoping his father hadn't seen what had happened through his telescope. "What was that for?!"

Juno crossed her arms stubbornly. "You were taking forever." She took a step forward. "If you're going to be all about the mission me trying to help we shouldn't have been a problem. So stop wasting time and get a move on Number One."

Before Luther could supply a retort she spun on her heel and made her way over to the bank's skylight where Luther joined her a moment later.

From there the two had a perfect view of the going's on in the bank and were directly below the group of hostages. Any minute now Allison would rumor the robbers and they'd bust through the glass.

_Any minute now..._

Luther exhaled deeply. Leaders weren't supposed to get nervous. Whatever happened, no matter how bad things got leaders were meant to be a source of strength their team could rely on. They were meant to be steadfast, with no room for hesitation or uneasiness.

Luther needed to get control of himself, but the weight on this shoulders was a heavy one. His whole life had been leading up to this one moment. All the training, all the discipline would mean nothing if he-they- couldn't deliver. For better or for worse it would all happen in the next few minutes, whether they were ready for it or not.

It was almost too much.

Juno started intently into the skylight "It'll be alright Lu. Dad made sure we know what we're doing, it'll be okay."

Despite the confidence in her words, Juno's hands were shaking and Luther found the sight oddly comforting. He nodded slightly and took another breath. "Yeah, I know..."

A few minutes had gone by when one of the gunmen started shouting. Though Luther couldn't hear his words Juno could.

Allison stepped forward.

_"I heard a rumor."_

"Get ready" Juno ordered, the two of them dashing away to get their running start.

_"What? What did you say?"_

_"I heard a rumor that you shot your friend in the foot."_

Showtime.

In seconds they had shattered through the glass, catching nearly everyone inside the bank by surprise. Before he had a chance to figure out what was going on Luther had tossed one of the gunmen out of one of the building's windows like a ragdoll.

Juno dashed to where the man Allison had just rumored was pointing his gun at her in confusion, Allison not looking the least bit afraid.

In one fluid motion Juno knocked the man to the ground and began savagely tearing into his shoulder. At the sound of her sister's over-the-top disgusted voice she pulled away, face stained a violent shade of red.

"Ugh! Couldn't you just knock him out or something."

Her victim began to scuttle away, tail between his legs and sufficiently panicked.

"Force of habit." She responds, not the least bit concerned by what was happening. "Besides this is much more intimidating."

Diego's knives whizzed nearby.

Later Juno would be sure to ask her brother whether it was normal for real men to still get voice cracks.

"I know but," Allison started. Juno had begun licking the red off her lips subconsciously. The young girl's nose scrunched up at the sight.

"You're so gross!"

Juno gave a cheeky grin and was just about to ask her sister if she'd like a kiss on the cheek when she noticed something.

"Look out!"

Faster than Allison could blink she found herself pulled tight into her sister's chest. No sooner had that happen when two armed men began filling Juno's back with bullets.

It was when Juno didn't immediately fall over that the men started to worry.

"You okay Ally?"

Allison was more annoyed at getting blood on her uniform than anything. "I'm fine. Go get those loser."

Juno didn't need to be told twice. Charging over to one she made quick work of his gun before slamming her elbow into his nose. The second man was busy aiming his pistol at Juno's head.

Juno was offended now. Not stopping to think she headbutted the man, knocking him out, while simultaneously pulling at his gun arm.

She had honestly meant to just make him drop the gun. Juno must've pulled on it harder than she thought however because there was this wet sort of squelching sound and the arm came away.

The twelve year old didn't so much as bat an eye.

These were bad guys after all, they deserved it.

"Rude!" She called to man's unconscious mangled form.

"So rude." Allison agreed behind them. The pair smiled at each other brightly before exchanging a quick high five.

Allison noticed the arm. "Eww!" She shrieked, more grossed out than horrified.

Juno dropped the offending appendage with a wet plop. "Love you Ally." She sang, eyes shining behind her mask

Allison threw an arm around Juno and began leading her away to where their siblings had cornered the last robber. "Yeah, yeah love you too nasty."

Juno looked down at her uniform and frowned in dismay. "There are no exit wounds, mom's gonna have to pull all those out!"

Allison patted her shoulder in a show of sympathy.

The grown man that was left was trapped on top of a counter, looking frantically at the children that surrounded him. "Get back you freaks!"

"Careful up there buddy!" Diego teased.

Allison joined in. "Yeah, wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

The man was looking more desperate by the second and the kids were eating it up. They hadn't expected their first mission to be this fun!

The man started waving his gun around frantically, as he turned Allison could he was the one her sister had taken a bite out of.

"Get back or-" He began. In a flash Five appeared behind him, sitting cross legged and looking as smug as ever.

"Or what?" The man jumped and turned to shoot but his bullets only hit empty air. Juno giggled as Five appeared behind him once more. The man's eyes widened comically and he turned again.

He shot at Five's face this time, only to see that his gun had been replaced with a stapler. Five looked down on it in amusement. "Ooh! That's one badass stapler." He joked, the others laughing along.

Five took the man's hand and slammed it into his forehead, sending him to the ground like a bag of rocks.

Klaus started clapping. "Well done you guys, I'm so proud of us. We should definitely do this again sometime!"

Luther was still tense. "Hold on Kla—Séance. We aren't done yet." He marched over to the vault doors, the rest of the academy following behind.

They could easily make out several shadows behind the vaults glass windows. Luther cleared his throat. "Horror, you know what to do."

Ben didn't move.

That wasn't part of the plan. Luther couldn't afford any of them going off script now, not when they were so close. He spoke more forcefully this time. "Horror I said go in."

Ben stepped forward, looking reluctant. "Do we really have to do this?"

It was plain to anyone there that Ben didn't want to go in. Didn't want to eliminate the threat.

Juno stepped forward. "I can do it." She suggested, trying to be helpful. But Luther was having none of it.

"The plan was The Horror goes into the vault not you." He maintained

Diego jumped in. "You ever here of improve Spaceboy. If he doesn't wanna go in then it's easier to just let J—"

"The Beast," Luther asserted. "Won't be going in. The plan is still in place."

Diego shook his head. "Why do you always have to be such a jerk about it."

Juno piped up in agreement "Yeah Luther why you gotta be such a jerk?"

The hostages that were gathered around them looked on uncomfortably.

Number One was losing his patience.

"I'm Number One!" He declared. "What I say goes!"

One and Two stared each other down, neither giving an inch.

Ever the peacekeeper, Ben got in between them. "It's fine, I'll go okay? Just stop fighting." He begged. Ben made his way towards the door slowly.

Once it was closed behind him everyone could see the shadow of the horror's tentacles as they tore apart everything and everyone in their path, splattering blood over the glass windows like some demented splat painting made to the tune of terrified screams.

The door opened to reveal a blood soaked Ben. "Can we go home now?" He begged.

Several of the hostages bolted at the sight of him and Ben wilted further.

His uniform was beyond ruined. Mom would have to burn it. Out of everyone in the house Ben and Juno were the ones who ended up needing new clothes most often. Usually due to blood stains that just couldn't be washed out.

Juno fished in her skirt pocket before pulling out one of the little wet wipes her mother had her carry. "Here," she offered sympathetically. " it isn't much but it'll clean up your face at least."

Ben thanked her quietly.

Wanting to lighten the mood Klaus bellowed a sudden. "Go team!" That made Ben's mouth twitch.

Once on the steps of the bank Numbers One through Zero stood shoulder to shoulder smiling brightly for the cameras, their chests puffed up with pride.

All except for one of them that is.

Not the least bit perturbed by her brother's blood sodden clothing, Juno threw her arm around his shoulder and gave him a quick squeeze, shooting him a lopsided smile.

Ben didn't exactly smile back but he did lean into her embrace before finally raising his head high enough to face the camera properly.

"Our world is changing," Reginald Hargreeves dictated to the press. "Has changed."

"There are some among us with abilities far beyond the ordinary. I have adopted seven such children." He gestured behind him with his cane. "I give you the inaugural class off the Umbrella Academy."

The gaggle of reporters exploded with questions.

"Mr. Hargreeves! Mr. Hargreeves!" Went one. "Channel 9 News. What happened to their parents?"

"They were suitably compensated."

"Are you concerned for the welfare of the children?" Asked another.

"Of course." Their father said briskly. "As I am for the fate of the world."

* * *

High up on a roof, far away from the chaos of the bank, little Number Seven looked longingly at the scene below through her father's telescope.

From her isolated perch she imagined what it would be like to stand there with the rest of her siblings, in between Six and Zero, smiling happily at the cameras

She imagined what it would be like if she were able to help people the way her brothers and sisters could.

Most of all, she imagined what it would feel like to be Extraordinary.

* * *

**Author's Note**

Thanks for the reviews and follows, they mean a lot.


	4. Inbetween

**From the personal notes of Sir Reginald Hargreeves-March 2000**

**Number 00.01:** Appreciably enhanced physical strength and resilience. Excels at everything he tries, particularly aviation and marksmanship—and knows it. Dedication bordering on inhuman. Ruthless leadership abilities. My favorite.

**Number 00.02:** An insolent brat. Ability to hold breath indefinitely is of dubious if any use. Ability to control an item's trajectory is slightly less disappointing. Has quite an aptitude for knives––as illustrated by the amount of gashes in the Caravaggio. Predictably reckless. Appears to have fostered quite the rivalry with One. Encouragement of this rivalry will surely serve as a valuable tool for the advancement of both parties.

**Number 00.03:** Insufferable, narcissistic creature, but extremely useful. Prevaricates with appalling ease.

**Number 00.04:** Development of psychic abilities stunted by fretful, morbid temperament. Overly sensitive disposition will need to be adjusted before real improvement can be made. Should the child not progress of his own accord for much longer more forceful training is in order. Inexplicable resemblance to an Ingmar Bergman extra.

**Number 00.05:** Brilliant, with an arrogance that leaves much to be desired. A commendable drive to improve himself and understand the limits of his teleportation abilities that I wished more of the children possessed. Most self-sufficient of the eight. Unmalleable nature and occasional lack of submission to authority is troublesome.

**Number 00.06:** Gruesome but fascinating. Easily manipulated due to enthusiastic, if naïve nature. Must learn to suppress my nausea in order to study further. Just as with 4, a sensitive nature makes it difficult for the boy to properly embrace the usefulness of his gift.

**Number 00.07:** No discernible talents. Some enthusiasm for music, but mediocre skill—can hardly even hobble through a Paganini caprice. Utterly useless.

**Number 00.00̸:** A rather obnoxious little thing whose usefulness only just makes up for this fault. Possesses a great enthusiasm for the innate savagery of their gift which is only just slightly disconcerting. Must encourage a connection between 6 to spur a similar inclination in him. Eager to please. So far a worthwhile investment.

* * *

**EXTRA ORDINARY:My Life as Number 7, by Vanya Hargreeves**

_**Excerpt –Juno, Number 0̸ (The Beast)- II**_

**Juno was only Zero because I was Seven.**

Contrary to popular belief Juno wasn't adopted as a baby like the rest of us were. Instead her arrival came some five years later as my father came home from a months long trip up north. Most father's bring things like keychains or snowglobes home to their kids after a long trip, but Reginald Hargreeves wasn't like most men. Instead of candy or toys my father saw nothing wrong with bringing home a child. I can't really remember too much of my early childhood clearly but I remember Juno's first night pretty well.

It was late at night and we'd all been sent to bed hours ago, but that didn't stop the seven of us from slipping away to sneak a peek at the ghost that was our father. The little girl that would come to be known as Juno Hargreeves looked confused and scared next to our father, a complete opposite of how she would be years later. Appearance-wise she was small and scruffy with her long dark hair sticking in every direction, not unlike a feral cat in need of some well deserved TLC.

We weren't technically introduced to Juno until about a week later. There was very little fanfare involved. We had eaten our breakfast in complete silence as always, all the while having snuck quick glances at the stranger at the table. Just before we were meant to be excused to our lessons my father stood up and announced: "Children, this is your new sister. From now on you are to refer to her as Number Seven." And that was that.

To your average outsider this may not seem like a big deal; a simple demotion in rank at most, but it was more than that.

You have to understand that our numbers were never _just _numbers. They were our identity. We weren't given actual names until age ten so up until then our entire sense of self was wrapped up in these detached, impersonal numbers. For all intents and purposes our numbers were our names. I _was _Seven, and that had been taken away from me without a second thought. It was a hard thing for a five year old to have to contend with at the drop of a hat.

I didn't take to my new name well, and to her credit neither did Juno. Having lived a whole five years before coming to the Academy I imagine she must've had a name before all this, but I can't say I know what it was. After so long I don't think Juno herself knows what it was either.

It was Mom who eventually convinced my father to give me my name back. Apparently my father's willingness to give my new sibling the title of Seven stemmed from a very practical deduction. Before they had decided on codenames for my siblings Dad had originally planned on simply continuing to use their numbers once they went on missions. If there was an Eight but no Seven on the team the public would ask questions. Not wanting people to know of the disappointment that was me, the logical answer was to simply give my old designation to his new child and make me Eight. No one would need to know about the black sheep of the Academy. Problem solved.

My mother could never go against my father directly so she had to stick to a gentle persuasion, making my father think something was his idea. She brought up how the loss of my number would be detrimental to my sense of self and my psychological development, how having to call someone else Seven might confuse the others. If covering up Number Seven's absence was the issue then perhaps the number zero could be a viable option? All together it was about a month before Dad announced, once again at the breakfast table, that I was back to being plain old Number Seven.

In those four weeks, though my young mind couldn't quite understand what I was feeling at the time, I know now that it was then that I began to realize just how replaceable I was in my family. I was Seven but that didn't mean anything, I could just as easily be Eight or Ten or Fourty-Three. I could never imagine my father doing something like that to his beloved Number One, or any of my other siblings for that matter. I knew that should this ever happen again my mother wouldn't be able to save me. Should my father ever come home with a new, extraordinary sibling I would lose myself to them no matter what I did and it scared me. I was expendable.

It was also around this time that I began to harbor a slight resentment for Juno. Though admittedly it was through no fault of her own I couldn't stop my feelings when I looked at her picture in the family portraits I wasn't allowed in, the interviews I wasn't included in or the missions I'd never be a part of. I felt this with all of my siblings to some degree but it was worse with Juno. It was worse because she was only Zero because I was Seven.

I can distinctly remember the day Juno arrived at the mansion because it happened not long after my father first started to drill into my head that I was ordinary. "There's just nothing special about you at all Number Seven." He'd say. "Now you must strive not to get in the way of your siblings. Just because you are incapable of rising to the occasion doesn't mean they shouldn't either." He'd said it so matter-of-factly, you'd think he were commenting on the weather and not callously chipping away at the budding self-esteem of a child not yet old enough to be in grade school.

While only my father can truly say just when he gave up on me, around the age of five is when I remember it happening. Suddenly I was separate from my siblings, not allowed to play with them, sat at the other end of the table, expected not to get in the way. I was a lost cause and apparently that's just what you do with lost causes. I was a disappointment, an outlier, a broken cog in my father's world saving machine, and when something is broken you replace it. That's what Juno was to me; my replacement. I couldn't live up to my father's expectations so he went out and bought a new kid to make up for it and tried to give her my name like I had never happened. Logically, I know Dad would've brought Juno home regardless of whether I had powers or not. Collecting all 43 of us was his dream and the number of rooms in our house spoke to that. But logic and emotion often come together like oil and water, it just fit together too well in my mind to see it any other way. Dad realizes I'm not worth it and not long after he comes home with a new extraordinary sibling to take my place.

Juno was who I was supposed to be. She was an ever present symbol of my greatest failure.

I was always jealous of all of my siblings, but when I looked at Juno I couldn't help but experience a particular flavor of envy. I couldn't help thinking 'that should have been me', 'that's supposed to be me.' Whenever my brothers and sisters faces would be plastered on the TV or the front of the house was filled with adoring fans it would hit me. No one outside of the house knew that I existed, but people all over the world knew who they were. I would look at my replacement and dream of what it was like to be her.

Twelve years later I didn't envy Juno anymore.

* * *

EXTRA ORDINARY:My Life as Number 7, by Vanya Hargreeves

_**Excerpt –Five (The Boy) II**_

I think it's a well recognized taboo to admit to having favorites amongst your family members. We say we love them all the same, and in a way we do, but I'm sure we all have that one person who for one reason or another we just click with. Five was that person for me.

In truth Five and I didn't have a lot in common, so exactly how it was that we'd formed our friendship is somewhat of a mystery to me, but it was there regardless.

I was never very good with keeping up conversation (if you were to come up to me today you'll notice I haven't gotten much better), but that didn't matter because Five wasn't a talker. Some of my fondest memories with Five were spent in complete silence, the two of us reading books shoulder to shoulder completely content with just each other's company. Five was the one who'd invite me when my brothers and sisters planned to sneak out for doughnuts. When he thought I was spending far too much time alone he'd hold my hand tight and drag me along despite my protest, all the while I was grateful that someone thought to include me. Five was my voice when I had none, speaking up for me even though he knew it'd get him in trouble. Five was the only sibling I'd play for regularly on request. I would be practicing a piece and Five would come in without a word and just listen. Afterward Five would comment on my playing, saying how he thought I handled a certain tempo change well or how my vibrato was great. Five had no particular interest in music, but he made an effort to act like he did and it meant the world to me.

I never needed my brothers and sisters to be obsessed with me or hang off my every word, I just needed them to try and Five did try.

I know that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be someone who can be loved. The rest is up to them. I learned the hard way that no matter how much you care, some people just don't care back. Despite my efforts to make myself available to my brothers and sisters, they just wouldn't care back. When someone doesn't like you the one thing you'd like to know is why. My other siblings seem to refuse to let me in and I had no real 'why?' to go with it. They never gave me a chance to make relationships with them like they had with each other, like they decided on sight that I wasn't worth the time. I realize now that their reaction to me when we were young wasn't all their fault, children imitate their parents, they were following Dad's lead.

Five never liked having to follow anyone's lead though, especially not our father's. He was always pushing, always questioning, always fighting back; steadfast and unafraid of our father.

I think all of us envied him for that.

My father and Five had a kind of paradoxical relationship. Like Luther, Five possessed many of the traits Dad coveted most: Diligent, ambitious, calculating and perfectly capable of having to make hard decisions.

I honestly believe that if Five hadn't been so prone to insubordination and so terribly strong-willed that our father would've had him as first choice for leader. Luther, with his willingness to follow orders and his conviction in our father's ideals, was the far safer choice. For all his good qualities Five had glaring faults that were impossible for our father to ignore. Arrogance was the one our father lamented most. For all his talk of emphasizing individual strength he never liked when anyone of us thought too highly of ourselves, Five was no exception. Five's pride was well deserved however and they both knew it. My father hated this imperfection in his near perfect soldier.

I also think the both of them hated how alike the two of them were in this way.

Sometimes in my lowest moments I'd wonder if Five's reason for reaching out to me was simply to stick it to our father. That maybe he only bothered with me because doing so was an ultimate act of defiance to our father's rules and his insistence on keeping me separate. As I said we didn't have a lot in common so in those low moments it made a disturbing amount of sense that my only friend was never really my friend. But as pathetic as it may sound I don't think I would've cared if it was true.

For better or worse a beautiful lie is still beautiful.

Five was my confidant, my other half, my sole companion in the years before he disappeared. Real or not, if he hadn't been there for me the way he had been, I don't know where I'd be today. If I had been truly alone all those years I honestly don't think I would've survived that house.

I can genuinely say that the day Five left was the worst day of my life. The one person I had in my corner was gone and I was still here, now truly alone. Five's powers made him impossible to track but we never did find a body, this made it easier to hope that he would be back some day. So day after day I'd make Five his favorite sandwich and make sure the lights were on— afraid he would leave again otherwise— before heading to bed, praying that tomorrow would be the day he'd come back, only to be disappointed again and again. Five never came and I began to feel like maybe I wasn't enough to want to come home to. But mostly I liked to think that wherever Five was, he was happy. I'd imagine him as a grown man, sitting on a beach somewhere, free from our father and the horrors of our house, the only thing he needed to worry about was doing what he wanted and not having to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. It was a much better dream than to imagine him cold and alone somewhere a million miles away.

On the outside my father didn't have much of a reaction to Five's disappearance. Sure he sent out a search and scoured the city for him, but he didn't _feel _Five's disappearance. He wasn't a distraught parent looking for his missing son, it was just another mission to him. A man trying to get back his lost investment. When it became clear that we wouldn't be finding Five anytime soon Father chose to act like it was business as usual. There was no time to lament our missing brother because we had more important things to deal with like getting ready to save the world at the tender age of 13. Once Five was gone our father began increasing the severity of my siblings' training, pushing them harder than he ever had before, more often than not to the point of tears that he had no sympathy for. He said it was so they could make up for Five's absence on the team, but really it felt like a punishment, like Dad was making them suffer for having lost our brother.

My father never cared about anyone but himself. Never cared about anyone's feelings or wants. So I was all the more confused when Dad commissioned a giant portrait of Five and sat it up on the mantle, where he'd stare at it at odd hours of the night. Even more confusing was the presence of what might have been regret behind his eyes as he did so.

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**From the personal notes of Sir Reginald Hargreeves-November 2002**

**Number 00.05:** Disappeared several days ago. Most certainly lost in the throes of time. An unfortunate casualty of his own ego and inability to listen to any reason other than his own. While not altogether surprising, his loss has set back the academy's mission greatly. Foolish boy.

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EXTRA ORDINARY:My Life as Number 7, by Vanya Hargreeves

_**Excerpt –Follow The Leader**_

[...] I think losing Ben was the breaking point for most of us. He was the kindest of my siblings, but he was so eager to please Father. He was so easily manipulated, dragged into Father's and Luther's little games—and those two simply let him die…

Like the day Five left, I can remember the day Ben died like it was yesterday. By this point we were seventeen and on the cusp of adulthood. Like most seventeen year olds we were just starting to come into ourselves as people and as a result we didn't work as cohesively as a team anymore. Allison was becoming more and more focused on her dreams of stardom away from the Academy's image. She craved the lights and the camera and the freedom that came with it. She was willing to chase that dream all the way to Hollywood if she had to, and if that involved having to sneak out of the house to go to auditions then so be it.

Klaus was sick that day. He was well into his addiction by then so 'sick' was really code for high or hungover. At this point Klaus had missed many missions due to his sickness and our father had given up on scolding him, instead settling on shooting Klaus disgusted looks when ever he came home late and clearly out of it.

Diego had started to push back against his title of Number Two and our father's authority over us. We couldn't get through a dinner without some curse words being thrown around or he and Luther getting into a fist fight. Diego was grounded from missions until he learned to "behave [him]self."

So it was a three-man team that left on a mission that day.

My father should have known not to send them. He knew the danger, and if he had so much as an ounce of parental affection for any of us he would've waited until the full force of his academy was available to help. A real father wouldn't have sent them at all.

But Reginald Hargreeves wasn't a real father. He didn't care. He didn't wait.

If Luther had been more than just our father's puppet he could have said no. If the title of Number One hadn't gone to his head so much maybe his ego would've allowed him to take the concern on Ben and Juno's faces seriously—to take his own concerns seriously and use his status to make our father listen to reason.

But Luther didn't say no to our father. He never learned how to stop following orders.

And so they marched out the door, not knowing that of the three of them, only two would make it back home alive and only one would make it back in one piece.

I can still remember the overwhelming smell of blood and ash and how it made me gag the moment it hit my nostrils, and how it would permeate the walls for months afterwards. I can remember Klaus' bone-chilling screams and wondering just what horrors he could see that I couldn't. [...]

While only one of his children died that night, my father, in his cruel callousness, acted like he'd lost two[...]

[...] I always hated how my father handled Ben's death with the media. A public funeral just felt so disrespectful, like we were making a spectacle of Ben's death for the cameras instead of saying our goodbyes to a beloved brother. The statue he erected felt more like a stage prop rather than the beautiful memorial it should've been. It was as though even in death we would never be free of our father's grasp, never to be more than just these characters played up for the public's enjoyment.

Many of you are probably hoping that'll tell you precisely how Ben lost his life. My father had enough respect not to share that information with the rest of the world and I know that this led to quite an uproar among the team's more dedicated fans. I'm sorry to disappoint, but I won't be sharing this with you either for two simple reasons, the first being that only two people could truly know what led up to Ben's final moments. Our father of course gave a run down of what had gone on, and Luther would later go on to tell us his side, but they weren't there, they didn't see it the way Juno or Ben would have. They don't really know. Ben himself obviously wouldn't be able to tell anyone anything anymore. And Juno can hardly remember much of anything from around that time let alone tell anybody about it, the one time she tried having resulted in an episode that no one wanted to repeat again.

The second, and most important reason is that you don't need to know.

So much of my family's life was on display -and I recognize that even now I'm putting it on display by writing this. But I feel if nothing else that death should be the one thing we can have for ourselves and not the world. People have taken so much, they don't need Ben in his most vulnerable moments.

All you need to know is that a young boy, not even old enough to drink or vote, was pushed into an impossible situation. That the man that was supposed to love and keep him safe, drove him to his death and didn't so much as bat an eye afterward. That a sensitive boy with hopes and dreams of his own was snuffed out far too soon chasing the approval of a father who would never give it and the whole world watched this happen for years and was too busy with the glamour of it all to notice that something was wrong.

[...] It wouldn't be out of the question to say that Ben was the glue that held us all together, because his death was when we all fell apart. This was the first time we all saw just how little our father cared and just how warped our lives were. Grief had opened our eyes in this way and made us experience a cacophony of emotions we'd never been allowed before. One by one we left to try and find ourselves in the real world outside of what our father made us out to be. Clearly some of us were more successful at life than others but none of us would dare to come back home regardless. Anything was better than that house.

Luther was the only one who never left. Though Juno couldn't leave the house physically, emotionally it was easy to see that she'd rather be anywhere else. Luther refused to separate himself both physically and emotionally from our father despite all that'd happened. In any other context this kind of devotion would be considered admirable, but in this case his reverence for a father that doesn't exist can only be described as sad.

While I hope that one day Luther will be able to remove himself from under our father's thumb and see him for what he his, I shudder to think of just what sort of tragedy would need to take place to have him realize this...

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Author's Note:  
Special thanks to **dizzzybeee** for reviewing the last chapter. Juno's powers will be revealed little by little so I hope you don't mind. In the mean time I'd love to hear any theories anyone has as to what they might be.

For reference, this was written using a mix of canon content and my own writing. I know this chapter doesn't advance the plot but I hope you enjoyed what I have here regardless.

If you liked what you read please consider leaving a review!


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